Forgotten
by Amazon16
Summary: A mysterious stranger arrives on the plateau putting all of the explorers in jeopardy. Will the explorers figure out who he is before its too late? Takes place before Season Three. Involves all the characters.
1. Chapter 1

_There are certain things people think about before they die. Odd things really; things that one would never expect to be on the minds of those drawing their last breath. Instead of dreaming about loved ones, thinking back on past regrets, or praying for your future, your mind remains in the present. _

_You think about how relaxing the silence is, or how the rose you are holding is so brilliantly red. I can see things more clearly now than ever before and it leaves me with a sense of peace. I'm not scared or even worried for I know in a few hours my friends will find me and bring my body home to be buried. Oh no, I won't be forgotten. _

"The rain just isn't going to stop, is it George?" Marguerite said, looking over at her companion. The duo had walked out to the balcony at the first sign of lightning and watched the ensuing downpour as it unfolded.

"It appears that it won't, at least not for awhile. I am so sorry Marguerite… I know how much you were looking forward to today."

Words were never the scientist's strong point, although his abilities to comfort had increased since his journey onto the plateau. He was not used to being a consoler. After all, not many scientists allowed themselves emotional outbursts, and Jessie, well Jessie was never one to complain. He wished he could say something to bring back that smile to her face, but as luck often has it, words never come when you need them.

"It's okay George. Really it is. We can go again another day; there will be another full moon next month." With one last look at the rain, Marguerite turned on her heel and left for the sanctuary of the tree house.

Veronica panted as she ran to the tree house. The cold rain was streaming down her body, mixing with her blood. She was being chased by a raptor. She had lost her knife – it had struck the raptor but the blinding rain made her miss any important organs. The wound only served to enrage the beast and she knew it wouldn't give up the chase. Her long blonde hair flew behind her, like a beacon of light the raptor was able to follow. She knew she would be faster without the added weight of her satchel, but leaving it on the ground would have made the trip worthless. She refused to be chased by a raptor for nothing. Besides, the treehouse was in sight. _I can make it_, she thought, just as she tripped on a rock causing her to fall to the ground.

She clenched her jaw trying to ignore the pain and come to terms with what just happened. She was mad at herself_. "Damn it! I should have been more aware of the situation!" _she thought to herself.

She tried to get up, but the mud bogged her down. The raptor was in front of her now. Sensing it had won, the raptor slowed its pace. She raised her hands in front of her, as to protect herself from the inevitable pain. When she was sure she could smell the raptor's breath, she finally allowed herself to scream, but instead of hearing her own voice she heard the raptor's own death rattle.

In shock she saw the raptor collapse on the ground in front of her. Before her mind was able to process what had occurred, a man appeared from the rain, took a hold of Veronica's shaking hands and slowly lifted her up.

"Don't worry, you are safe," the man said as Veronica stared at him dumbly. She wasn't sure if it was the near death experience, or the romance of being rescued by a stranger but her eyes refused to leave the man's face. She took in all of his features, the rugged outline of his jaw, how his long brown hair fell neatly on his shoulders. And his shoulders, dear god his muscles seemed to want to burst out of his shirt.

"What? How? What happened?" Veronica managed to sputter as the rain continued to pound her skin.

With a smile, the man pointed to his bow and arrow draped across his chest. "A bit primitive, but they do the trick, don't you agree?" When Veronica still didn't react he looked at her with concern, "Are you hurt? Did the raptor bite you anywhere?"

"No, I'm fine. Really I am. I usually don't act this way," Veronica said as the last of the cobwebs cleared her brain.

"It's quite understandable; you've had quite a fright. Is there anyplace we can go to clean you up?"

"Yes, my home is not far from here." Veronica reached down to retrieve her knife from the deceased raptor and prepared to lead the way back to the treehouse. Before she managed to walk two steps a shooting pain radiated from her ankle and she winced in surprise.

Without saying a word, the man looked down at Veronica's swollen ankle and effortlessly picked her up.

"Oh no, you don't have to do that," Veronica protested, "I'll be fine. I've sprained my ankle before."

"What kind of hero would I be if I let the person I just saved dredge through the mud on a sprained ankle? I might as well have left you for the raptor!"

"But, I don't even know your name," Veronica said trying to free herself from his grasp. It was Marguerite who needed rescuing, not her.

"Rithos. My name is Rithos. But we are in the middle of a thunderstorm and in raptor territory. I don't think this is the time to argue."

"You are right," Veronica replied sheepishly. "My home is over there, through those trees. You can actually see it if you look closely enough."

"That rain came suddenly, didn't it Ned?" Roxton said as he prepared bullet casings. Ned sat next to him as he removed the bullets from the mold and put them in their respective places. They had been making bullets all morning, and refused to stop until they were satisfied there was enough to last for quite awhile.

"Yes, I can honestly say I wasn't expecting it. I hope Veronica found a place to stay dry."

"Well even if she is caught in the middle of the rainfall she should be home soon. The walk from the Zanga village isn't that far."

"And I hope she remembered to bring coffee beans back with her. I don't think I'll be able to last another day without a cup of coffee. Damn it!" Ned exclaimed as he touched a mold that had not quite cooled off. He waved his finger around before putting it in his mouth. "It's not funny," he managed to mumble as Roxton laughed wholeheartedly.

"You have to be more carefully, Neddy boy. Isn't that what you told me when I burned my hand on the pot?"

"That's different-" Ned began to explain when Marguerite stormed into the kitchen.

"Can't you boys do anything besides argue? I am trying to nap and all I hear is your bickering. It makes me want to grab the closest thing I can and jam it down your throat so you won't be able to speak," she steamed as she slammed open and shut cabinets.

"What are you looking for exactly?" Ned asked the fiery brunette in front of him. Although they had been on the plateau for three years together, her bursts of anger always managed to frighten him. He knew that no matter how close they were, it was best not to get on her bad side.

Roxton, on the other hand, had no such qualms, "Do stop being a baby, Marguerite. It's not our fault the rain delayed your little expedition to the cliffs."

"I'm not being a baby," Marguerite replied petulantly before throwing herself into a seat by the table, "Well maybe I am. But I have a right to be! I've planned this trip for two weeks! Four if you count the two weeks convincing Challenger it had a scientific purpose. It wasn't easy convincing him that Incas used emeralds for medicinal purposes."

"Oh so you mean they don't give off an oil that can be used to cure stomach problems?"

"Don't sound so smug Roxton. It was a damn good lie you have to admit. Challenger believed it, didn't he? Now I'm going to have to wait another four weeks before I get the chance to go again. Why can't things ever be just a little bit easier on the plateau? Would it be so wrong to have the emeralds just wrapped up in a box with a nice little bow on them? But no, put the emeralds in a cave guarded by raptors that only leave on a full moon in order to mate." Before Roxton could respond, the sounds of the elevator coming to life brought everyone's attention to the living room. Marguerite pushed her chair away from the table and walked over to the source of the noise. She had never been more relieved for one of Veronica's frequent interruptions; Ned wasn't the only one craving coffee in the mornings.

"Sounds like Veronica is back," Ned said getting up from the kitchen table, "I better go get a blanket so she won't freeze to death."

"You better grab two," Marguerite said with a smile directed at Ned. "One for Veronica and one for her guest."

"Guest?" Ned said walking over to where Marguerite stood. Both Malone and Roxton displayed a look of confusion as Veronica was carried out of the elevator and set on the ground by an unfamiliar man in front of them.

"And what a guest it is." Marguerite said with pure delight. She winked at Roxton as she walked over to the duo. Oh yes, she had never been more relieved to see Veronica.

_I once heard this saying that in life there is a painful process between longing for what we've left behind and dreaming of the future. I keep saying it over and over in my head as if it will help make the transition any easier. The transition? That's poetic of me isn't it? I should say dying. It will help make dying easier. I'm truly not afraid, in fact I'm quite curious as to what heaven looks like. Maybe I'll finally have peace. Maybe. _


	2. Chapter 2

"You should probably get off that ankle," Rithos said breaking the silence enveloping the treehouse. Challenger had joined the group once he heard the arrival of the elevator and was staring at the stranger with a mixture of scientific curiosity and a paternal wariness.

"Veronica! You are hurt!" Ned exclaimed rushing over to the blonde beauty. "What happened?"

"I tripped over a rock," she replied sheepishly as she wrapped herself in the warm blanket Ned provided. It was pride, and pride alone, that prevented her from collapsing into Ned's warm arms. She told herself that she would be strong, and so she would. It was mind over matter after all, and if she told herself she was fine, well then she would be.

"You? Tripped over a rock?" The heiress asked incredulously. With narrowed eyes she paced around the treehouse. Veronica had never been one to trip over a rock, could she have faked the fall in order to gain attention from the Adonis beside her? With a shake of her head Marguerite pushed that idea from her head. Veronica wasn't one to do that either, and if she allowed herself to be carried back to the tree house Marguerite knew she must be in serious pain.

"I was running from a raptor and I couldn't see the rock hidden in the mud. Rithos came just in time. He killed the raptor with a bow and arrow. It was really quite amazing," Veronica said as Ned helped lower her into the couch.

Marguerite, whose eyes hadn't left Veronica, finally managed to make out the impression of coffee beans in the leather satchel clutched in Veronica's hands. "Here, let me take that satchel from you, Veronica," Marguerite said walking towards the jungle native, expertly extracting it from her hands, "You have enough on your mind as it is. I'll just put these in the kitchen for you."

"I should take a look at that ankle," Challenger said finally taking his gaze off Rithos. "Hopefully it isn't broken." He knelt down next to Veronica and cradled her foot in his hands. Taking note of Veronica's quick inhale of breath, he gently prodded the area below and above her ankle.

"You killed a raptor with just a bow and arrow?" Roxton said with begrudging appreciation. "When I was a boy I killed a deer with a bow and arrow from a hundred paces, but that doesn't compare to a raptor. Then again, we never had raptors in England."

"It really isn't that difficult once you get used to it. When you have your life in the balance you learn pretty quickly."

With his arms crossed across his chest, Ned moved closer to inspect Rithos. "So what exactly were you doing when you ran into Veronica?"

"I was checking my traps for food when the rain came. I tried to find some place dry to stay warm, but got turned around in this rain. I haven't seen any other human around here for quite some time. Seeing Veronica chased by that raptor was quite a shock for me!"

"Well, now that we are done with the inquisition let's get you out of those wet clothes," Marguerite purred, slipping her arm into his. "I'm sure you must be freezing. Let's see if we can find something that fits you. She managed to expertly extract him from the group of males and led him down the corridor. "We can borrow one of Roxton's shirts. I'm sure he won't mind a bit."

"Yes, you won't mind, right Roxton?" Ned asked sarcastically.

Roxton rolled his eyes as he looked at Ned, "And to think she accuses me of becoming starry eyed every time I'm around a female." Although he refused to be jealous; the sound of Marguerite's laughter caused him to look anxiously towards the bedrooms.

"I hope she's not lending him that shirt she just mended. I better go make sure he's wearing one of my old ones." Without waiting for acknowledgement he stormed off towards the couple.

"Well, the good news is you didn't break it Veronica," Challenger said lifting himself off the floor and walking to his lab. "However your ankle is pretty swollen. Rithos is right. You shouldn't do any strenuous activities for at least two weeks, if not more." As he spoke, raising his voice so they could hear him, Challenger paced around his lab opening and closing drawers at random. He was inwardly glad they weren't able to see the mess that had become his lab. _Where had he put those extra bandages?_ He made a mental note to clean the lab on the next rainy day, and finally found the bandages in a box titled, "Indigenous Minerals." Scratching his head he edited that mental note to say clean and reorganize the lab as soon as possible.

"Challenger, I'll be fine!" Veronica called, getting up from the couch, ignoring Ned as he began to protest. "I'll be- ow!" She put too much weight on her ankle and collapsed back onto the couch. "Well maybe I should rest for a couple of days."

Large servings of fruits and vegetables were passed around the table as the rain continued to pour outside of the tree house. With no one willing to brave the weather and hunt for meat, Ned was forced to make due with the food they had. He tried to remember everything Summerlee taught him; roasting, boiling, even frying the vegetables in order to make an appetizing dish for their new visitor.

When Rithos helped himself to a second serving Ned finally relaxed. It wasn't that Ned wanted to show Rithos excellent treehouse hospitality, but to make sure that Rithos knew he wasn't the only one with a skill. Anyone could shoot a bow and arrow, but not many people could cook a dinner like this. Yes, Veronica may be grateful to Rithos for saving his life, but she sure as heck wasn't thinking about him now.

"This is really good Ned," Roxton managed to say, swallowing a bite of ginger fried carrots, "I must say that you really outdid yourself today."

"Yes," Rithos intoned, "I don't believe I have had such good food since I left the tribe almost a year ago."

With a smirk Ned leaned confidently against his chair, "Oh, it was nothing. I just threw a couple of things together."

As the rest of the treehouse grew silent and continued their meal, Marguerite pounced on Rithos' last statement. "A tribe you said? Which tribe did you leave a year ago?" She asked as nonchalantly as possible.

"We called ourselves the Lavopi people. We were a nomadic group, using the water to travel along the plateau."

"Why did you decide to leave the Lavopis?" Veronica questioned as she madly tried to recall the name. It didn't sound familiar, and she was pretty sure that it was not mentioned in her parents' journals.

"The Lavopis were disbanding and breaking apart long before I decided to leave. Coastal towns were becoming more violent, accusing us of trespassing on their land, and refusing to buy our goods. When our leader died, a horrible fight for power ensued, and I felt it was time to leave." Rithos said somberly, slowly lowering his fork and leaving it beside his plate. "It seems so long ago, but I know it was just mere months."

"I don't recall hearing the name of that tribe, do you Veronica?" Challenger asked looking at Rithos as he spoke to Veronica.

"I don't think so, but then again there are so many tribes on this plateau that I haven't heard of," Veronica said smiling apologetically at Rithos. She didn't want him to be offended by her lack of recognition. Men were very sensitive, she learned the past three years on the plateau. Things she thought were trivial they considered large blows to their egos.

Roxton considered Rithos carefully, his hand resting on the bridge of his nose before moving down to massage his chin. "You do look familiar though. Have we met before?"

Rithos returned Roxton's steady unrelenting gaze, "I don't think so. I would have remembered meeting such beautiful women." He looked at Marguerite and then at Veronica, a smile forming as he spoke, "Yes, I definitely would not have forgotten them."

Clearly flattered by his statement, Veronica blushed prettily. "What was your tribe like?"

"Well up until a few years ago, we were quite peaceful." Rithos, turned and reached over to the counter where his bag lay. After a quick search he pulled out a thick leather strip beautifully ornamented with the picture of a rose. "And we loved beautiful things."

"That is beautiful," Marguerite said taking the leather from his hands and running her fingers over its length. "What was it used for?"

"We made the straps from the skin of animals we killed for our food, and later buried their bones with them. It was to give thanks to the animal for their sacrifice."

"Why a flower?" Challenger said as Marguerite passed the leather over to him.

"My tribe used flowers for all of our celebrations. Flowers are a reminder of birth, their pollen remaining even after they are plucked from the earth."

"So what exactly were you doing in this part of the plateau?" Ned asked inquisitively, leaning his elbows on the table. While the women had been distracted by Rithos dissertation on the beauty of a flower, his thoughts remained on Rithos sudden appearance near the treehouse.

"Ned!" Marguerite said a bit more sharply then she had intended. "Let's not ruin this beautiful dinner with so many questions. The rain doesn't seem to be letting up, so we will have a long time to get acquainted." She turned, and smiled brightly at Rithos, "Come, let's sit on the couch and you can teach us that game you were talking about before."

"How can I refuse such an offer? Gentleman," Rithos said regally as he rose from the table, "Its been a pleasure. Veronica, do you need any help getting to the couch?"

"Help?"

"Veronica?" Veronica and Marguerite asked at the same time.

"Yes, for your ankle, Veronica. You are, of course, invited to play the game as well." Rithos said pulling out Marguerite's chair.

"Of course she is," Marguerite said with a smile on her face and an edge in her voice, "Veronica loves playing games."

Veronica opened her mouth to returning Marguerite's scathing comment, but quickly closed it and turned to Rithos. Although Challenger's bandage and the herbal medicine Veronica had taken during dinner had dulled the pain, she smiled sweetly at the man now standing beside her.

"It is feeling a little sore. If I could lean on you as we walked I'd be very grateful." She winced as she stood up for the benefit of those around her and allowed Rithos strong arms to support her as they walked slowly to the living area.

The three men left at the dinner table sat in silence as Rithos explained the intricacies of the pebble game a few feet away. "Well," Challenger said breaking the silence and standing up from the table, "I guess we are left to clean up."

"I cooked this dinner! I shouldn't have to clean it also," Ned said angrily pushing his chair away from the table but grabbing a dish nevertheless.

"Well, Ned, the girls are currently embarrassing themselves in front of that "gentleman," Roxton replied sardonically.

"What do they see in him anyway? He seems a bit cagey to me, not answering any of the questions I asked." Ned asked as he continued to violently stack plates together.

"Easy Ned, or you'll be making new plates," Challenger interjected with a laugh, taking possession of the plates in Ned's hands. "You only asked Rithos one question which he did not answer. Besides its best to reserve judgment until after we know him a little better."

"Are you saying you don't find anything peculiar about him at all? He seems to be hiding something from me." Roxton said standing beside the journalist beside him. "I, for one, agree with Ned."

"Is it your head speaking or your jealousy?"

"Jealous?" Roxton sputtered, looking at Ned for help, "I am not jealous!"

"It's a purely normal reaction to have Roxton. When a woman you have feelings for is affectionate towards another, one is bound to become a bit jealous."

"Well I know the difference between jealousy and distrust. There is a thick line between the two." Ned said, silently wondering if Challenger had a point.

"All I am saying is that we should wait it out a bit before we start jumping to conclusions. He did save Veronica's life, and for that we should be grateful. And besides, if he does have something to hide and thinks we suspect him, he will only be more cautious of protecting it."

"You do have a point Challenger," Roxton said carrying plates to the sink. "But, I will be keeping an eye on him just the same."

Ned and Challenger followed suit, successfully clearing the table of all dishes. Challenger patted Ned and Roxton's shoulders as he moved towards the sink. "I'll clean up, you boys did enough today. Maybe you can learn to play that game. The girls seem to be enjoying it."

"Thanks, old man, I appreciate it." Roxton said a split second before he and Ned rushed off to join the ladies.

Challenger watched with a smile as Ned and Roxton planted themselves in between the women and Rithos. Content that the Marguerite and Veronica would be protected for the time being, Challenger turned to face the sink. '_Ned is right,_' he thought as he scrubbed a dish, '_Rithos is definitely not one to be trusted.' _


	3. Chapter 3

_I don't feel dead, then again I don't know what dead is supposed to feel like. I always assumed it would be like going to sleep. Lights closing, darkness surrounding until finally you don't think anymore._

_It's the opposite. I have never felt more alive... My soul rises out of my body and I feel free, yet bound by worry. I can see my body, but it doesn't feel as if it belongs to me. I am not concerned with that though; I am more interested in what is happening below me. _

_How close my friends are, yet so very far away. I wish I could help them, guide them, but I have never felt more powerless._

With nimble fingers Marguerite placed the last remaining pebble in the large hole at the edge of the board. The board was made up of a series of small holes, each containing a different amount of pebbles. The object of the game was to get all of the pebbles into the large hole on their side of the board, the fastest one to do so winning the game.

"You won again Marguerite!" Veronica exclaimed with surprise. "That must have been the fifth game in a row!"

"Beginner's luck," Marguerite replied with a smile taking possession of the grapes they were using for bets. They had been playing Rithos' game for the past two days and she managed to win most of them. "Although I swear that I remember seeing this game somewhere. I wonder if I played this game when I was younger; it feels like a game a child would play."

At Marguerite's last comment Rithos looked up abruptly, "What was that Marguerite?"

"I just feel like this is a game that would keep children busy for hours. What do you think John," Marguerite said turning to the hunter beside her. He had lost all of his grapes hours before, and was now content to sit by her side and watch her play. "Did you ever play this game as a child in Avebury? Or was it not a proper activity for the son of a lord?"

"I played many games as a child, this unfortunately was not one of them," John replied with a laugh," I wish it was though. Maybe I wouldn't have lost my grapes after the third game!"

"Well, I'm off to bed," Ned said from his seat between Veronica and Rithos, covering a yawn with his hand. "Now that the rain has stopped we are going to have a big day ahead of us. I'm quite excited to have some meat around here. I never thought I would ever be this thrilled to have raptor for dinner!"

"I think I'll go to bed also," Veronica said using Ned's arms to help pull herself off of the couch. Her ankle was finally beginning to heal, just not as fast as she would like. The few times she forgot that she had sprained her ankle and tried to walk normally, she was rewarded with sharp shooting pains for her efforts. Slightly leaning on the reporter she turned back to face the trio, "Good night everyone! I'll see you all in the morning."

"Good night Veronica," Rithos called out to Veronica's retreating form. When she finally disappeared from sight he turned to Marguerite, "Up for another game? I fully intend to win this time so you better be careful."

"Ned is right, we have a busy day ahead of us. I really should get some sleep. I've had a wonderful time though. Maybe tomorrow we can bet with things of real value!"

"The only one that owns things with _real value_ is you Marguerite, and those gems are hidden expertly from us," Roxton said getting up and offering a hand to the heiress. "I'll walk your room. Good night Rithos."

"Yes, good night Roxton. See you in the morning." He made a show of returning the pebbles back in their respective places as he strained to hear what Roxton and Marguerite were saying in hushed tones as they walked to their respective rooms.

"Maybe tomorrow we can play with things of real value," Rithos said in an uncanny impression of Marguerite. His smile waned as he shook his head in disgust. Oh, how he hated those explorers. Always smiling, acting like one big happy family; with no care about the consequences of their actions.

Everything had worked out perfectly; even God was conspiring to help him, practically throwing Veronica at his feet. Although he wanted to kill them immediately, he knew it was best to make them suffer. He wanted them to die the same way his friends did. Alone, afraid and forgotten. He had already gained their trust, and tomorrow he would ask for their help.

Dawn had just broken on the plateau but the treehouse was alive with activity. Rifles were loaded, extra ammunition was packed and water canteens were being filled. Everyone, save Veronica who was still nursing her hurt ankle, seemed anxious to start, and subsequently finish, their pending expedition.

"I think that's everything," Roxton said surveying the work the others had completed. "Food, guns, water… that should be enough for a five hour hunting trip."

"Ah, Roxton," Ned said throwing a journal and a couple of pencils into his pouch, "but when is it ever just a five hour hunting trip?"

"CHALLENGER!" Marguerite yelled over the banister at the opposite side of the treehouse. "We are going to leave without you! Get up here now!" Turning, Marguerite looked back at her companions.

"What on earth is he doing down there in that laboratory of his? Why is he even coming to begin with? How many specimens does he really need?"

Veronica, who had been watching the flurry of activities with a hint of jealousy, limped off the couch to join the men. Inspecting their supply of weapons and ammunition, she explained, "Marguerite, I'm sure he is just feeling the confines of being locked in the treehouse for so long. I know I would jump at the chance to go hunting if I didn't think I would slow everyone down."

"Slow everyone down?" Rithos laughed as he listened to interchange of conversations. "Veronica you would be lucky not to be a raptors lunch with that limp of yours!" Slinging his bow and arrows around his back he moved closer to the explorers. "Tell me, do you do this type of preparation every time you leave the treehouse?"

"Of course," Roxton said smugly, "I believe it is best to be prepared for every type of situation that can present itself on the plateau."

"You don't think you are overreacting just a bit? I usually bring just water and some arrows and I am able to make it to my traps and back just fine." He looked towards Marguerite, eying her inquisitively, "Hmm… does bad luck follow you around, Marguerite? Should I think twice about allowing you to come with me?"

"I don't know, what would you say Challenger." The heiress asked Challenger as he finally made his way up to from the laboratory, his bags packed to the brim with supplies.

"I'm not so sure if I would say bad luck seems to follow us around, I would say we go out looking for it sometimes."

"Go out looking for it?" Rithos said sounding quite alarmed, "Are you telling me you purposely get yourselves in trouble?"

"Well, I think it's more like helping to right wrongs that we happen to see." Veronica said nonchalantly taking a bite out of an apple left over from breakfast.

"Did you ever think that maybe the people you are helping don't really want to be helped? Or that you might make their situations worse than they were to begin with?" Rithos said angrily, the burst of anger surprised both him and the explorers. He quickly squashed it.

With a raised eyebrow Ned looked at the man in front of him, "Don't worry, Rithos, I'm sure Marguerite and Challenger can protect you."

"OK, so let's go over our plans again," Challenger said matter of factly, moving towards the elevator. "Marguerite and I will go with Rithos to check on his traps and bring whatever is edible back to the treehouse. Roxton, you and Ned will go out hunting towards Layton Falls. We should all rendevouz back at the treehouse by nightfall."

"And keep on the look out for any light signals from our mirrors, just to be safe." Roxton said looking at Marguerite as he spoke. "Try not to do anything foolish, okay?"

"I'm a big girl Roxton, I can handle myself." Marguerite said putting her hat on quite forcefully. Turning to Challenger and Rithos she smiled, "Are you ready to find some food?"

"After you," Challenger said, following Marguerite into the elevator. With one last look at the treehouse, Roxton tipped his hat at Veronica and joined Challenger and Marguerite in the waiting elevator.

"Now are you sure you are going to be ok here by yourself?" Ned said. "I don't think Roxton would mind if I stayed back here with you."

"Ned, I have a sprained ankle, but I'm not an invalid. I have plenty of things to do. I'm sure there is a book or two I haven't read yet." Veronica said smiling, almost pushing Ned towards the elevator. "Don't you worry about a thing."

"I guess that is my cue to leave," Rithos said as he moved closer to Veronica. "I think I will bring you back a present, Veronica." He moved his lips closer to her ears, and spoke in a whisper that no one but they could hear. "A flower."


	4. Chapter 4

_I can hear them approaching and I am no longer worried. They are too late, but I hope they will find solace by finding my body. It was so hard not finding Summerlee, and constantly worrying if he was alive, suffering, or dead. I'm glad they won't have to worry about that with me. At least some good will come out of all this._

They had been walking for hours, and the heat was beginning to take its toll on the trio. Marguerite had used up almost all of her water. She refused to talk, focusing all her concentration on battling the plateau's many bugs and mosquitoes. She regretted coming on the journey almost the minute she left the treehouse, but she knew she couldn't leave Rithos and Challenger alone.

She had no idea how good Rithos was at tracking and hunting, but she was positive once Challenger started thinking about science he was oblivious to things around him, and someone needed to protect his back. She desperately wanted to say something, but didn't want to be the first to complain.

Luckily for her, Challenger had no such qualms. "Rithos, we've been walking around this jungle for hours. Are you sure we are going in the right direction?"

"Of course I am, of course I am." Rithos said not turning to glance at the two behind him. He didn't want anyone to see the grin on his face or gleam in his eye." I am bringing you right where I want you. Don't you worry about a thing."

From the corner of his eye he saw what he had been searching for all morning. "Aha! There it is Challenger!" He turned around and smiled brightly. "I knew we were getting close!"

"Finally!" Marguerite exclaimed. "Now lets get some meat and get out of here!" She passed Rithos who was standing still on the side of the path. Her heart began to beat faster as she walked over to the traps. With adrenaline pumping, she pulled out her knife in preparation for cutting the animals 'free.' The sooner they took what meat they needed they could go home, and the heiress knew a bath was waiting for her. However, the closer she got to the area Rithos pointed out to her, her heart beat began to fall.

"Rithos?" She asked, "I don't see anything, are you sure your traps are here?"

"Of course they are, just look closer," Rithos said in a tone of voice Challenger couldn't quite place. Although the scientist wanted to alert Marguerite and tell her to be cautious, he didn't want to raise suspicion. He walked over to where Marguerite was, slowly removing the gun from his holster.

"I'm sure they are here somewhere, Marguerite. Lets just look a little harder," he said in an overly loud voice. Then, for only Marguerite to hear, he whispered, "Something doesn't sound right. Be on your guard. Stay close to me." Hearing footsteps behind him, he walked further into the jungle.

Marguerite turned to Rithos, and placed a smile on her face, "If you led us all the way out here for nothing, you will definitely regret it!"

"No, Marguerite, I doubt that," Rithos said aiming his gun at Marguerite. "Why don't you join your friend over there in the trees. And don't do anything foolish -- drop that knife on the ground."

"All right, all right," Marguerite said trying to make light of the situation. "All of this for a few missing traps? Maybe Challenger found them; Challenger!" She yelled the rest of her sentence in a hope to alarm the scientist.

"Yes, Marguerite?" Challenger following the sound of her voice, cocking his gun. He walked faster as he saw the gun Rithos held in his hand.

"Lower that gun!" Challenger yelled as he felt the floor fall out from beneath him. He thought he was going to topple backwards, but instead of hitting the hard ground he felt himself suspended in air. The shock of the pull jarred his hand, causing the gun to discharge. He felt a sharp pain in his leg and then blissful numbness as he closed his eyes around him.

"See, I told you I had traps here. Challenger just found one," Rithos said to the speechless Marguerite. She tried to scream but realized no sound came when she opened her mouth.

"Let me go, you bastard," Marguerite said fear mixing with concern over Challenger. "Untie him, and let me go. I don't know what perversion you have to think this is fun, but it isn't."

"Perversion? This is much more than that. Keep walking," he said pushing her forward with his gun. "It's time to find the next trap."

"Why are you doing this?" Marguerite said as she stumbled further. "What did we ever do to you?"

"Oh, you'll have plenty of time to think about that, don't you worry. You are a smart girl I'm sure you can figure it out." He grabbed Marguerite and threw her against a nearby tree.

With shock she realized the tree had begun to grow around her. With a bit of renewed energy she attempted to kick and claw her way out. "Let me go!" She screamed.

"Oh no, Marguerite. That would have made all of this for nothing, now wouldn't it? Well, it's been fun," he said tipping his hat towards the beauty. "I hate to rush, but I really should go. There are a couple of other people I need to…talk to. See you later, Marguerite." He said laughing and turning away from her.

"Don't hurt them! If you hurt anyone I'll kill you. I swear I will. I'm going to get out of here, and I will hunt you down and kill you if you don't let me go now!" Marguerite yelled to his retreating form.

Realizing he wasn't coming back she screamed in frustration. She was tempted to collapse against the tree and wait for someone to come back for her, but she realized that was an invitation for death. The others wouldn't worry until nightfall, and by then it might be too late. She needed to cut Challenger down and see the damage done to his leg; if the wound didn't kill him the scent of blood would definitely draw every raptor around them. She took a deep breath and relaxed against the tree, it was time to think, she thought to herself, she could panic later.

With disgust Veronica threw the book she was reading against the wall. She knew she was acting like a child, but she didn't care. She couldn't believe it, but she was actually bored. Although she was used to be alone as a child, living with five other people for the past three years made her unused to silence. At first she cherished it, but now she couldn't wait for their return. She was even looking forward to fighting with Marguerite.

"Hmm." Veronica said limping towards the board game Rithos left on the nearby table. She deftly picked it up in one hand and hopped onto the tabletop. "Maybe if I practice enough, I can finally win a game!"

She smiled as she set the pieces in order. As she dropped the stones in the varying holes, she thought about a comment Marguerite had made the last time they played.

"A children's game. Children. Hmm. How many tribes have games just for children?" She ran a hand through her blonde hair and leaned against the wall.

She felt something poking the inside of her leg and she shifted to remove whatever it was that she was sitting on. With a smile she felt the leather strap Rithos had made, picked it up and studied it carefully. "Flowers. Children. Flowers. Children." She looked from the game to the strap as something clicked in her head.

"No," she said shaking her head as if she could shake the thought from her head. "But what was it he said about helping people that didn't want to be helped?" A familiar sound broke her concentration; the elevator was coming to life.

Veronica glanced towards the sky and saw that sun had barely begun to set. Who was coming home so early? And why hadn't she put on the electric fence? She hopped off the table and made her way to the balcony. There was something not right with the situation, and her intuition told her she needed to leave immediately. If Rithos was who she thought he was, she and the others were in serious danger, and she needed to warn them if it wasn't too late. She swung a leg over the balcony and looked for a vine to climb down.


	5. Chapter 5

Miles away the heiress was reaching the same conclusion as the jungle beauty. In hindsight she realized Rithos did look extremely familiar. The flower, the kids game, everything made sense.

She didn't think he would go to Ned and Roxton yet, after all he didn't even know where they were. He would attack Veronica first; and get her out of the way so he could focus on the harder ones to hurt.

"Think, Marguerite, think," she spoke aloud. "You need to get out of this situation. Challenger and Veronica are counting on you. You need to get out of here. Think of a way to escape. Think."

From the corner of her eyes she saw Challenger's bag of supplies caught on a branch next to her. The force from his fall must have thrown the bag into the air. She looked down and realized Rithos had thrown her sideways into the plant. Instead of standing with her back against the wall, she was on her side, her hands below her chin. The branches had done a pretty good job of entrapping her; however there was a small space where she was sure she could squeeze a hand out of.

She winced as her hand scratched against the bark drawing blood, but with a final push her hand was free. "All right, Marguerite, you have a hand free. Now what?"

Ned and Roxton stepped on to the treehouse with a smile. They had tremendous success hunting, and if preserved well, the meat they had would last a long time.

"Veronica!" Ned called as he lowered his pack on the floor. He couldn't wait to wash his hands and rinse off the remnants of the animal blood still in his nails. Although he had washed his hands after hanging the animal meat in the storage area near the garden, traces of red remained. "We're back! And exhausted! And starving! Veronica?"

Roxton removed the gun his holster, and began to unpack all of his belongings. "Maybe she fell asleep. Go look in her room."

"Good idea," Ned said walking towards the room. Before he reached the doorway, however, he knew she wasn't there. There was an eerie sensation trickling along his back while butterflies flew violently in his stomach. He could feel something was wrong. Hoping he was wrong, he dashed down the steps to her room.

"Roxton!" he called loudly to the hunter in the other room. "She isn't here! Do you a see a note anywhere on the table?"

Roxton put away the last box of ammunition and walked over to the kitchen counter, where they made it a habit of leaving notes for the others. Seeing the vacant counter his eyes scanned the rest of the room. "None that I can see. Maybe she just went for a quick walk, and didn't expect us to be back so soon."

"A quick walk? Where could she be walking to on that ankle?" Ned said fear creeping up his spine. "Veronica!" He called again in hopes she would come out from wherever she was hiding. He rushed down the stairs towards Challengers lab, and when she wasn't there he ran back up the stairs towards the balcony to see the ground below them.

"Roxton!" He called, and wasn't surprised to see him already standing near him, gun back in hand. "What does that look like to you?"

"You really shouldn't have tried to escape," Rithos said dragging the body behind him. He had tied her hands and feet together, and was now dragging his victim's body across the jungle landscape. "It made it just more painful for you. It was quite a foolish idea."

Rithos didn't mind that his victim wasn't responding, in fact it pleased him greatly. Although she had put up a fight, he managed to hit her squarely on the head with the edge of his gun, knocking her out completely. He judged he had a few more hours before she would wake.

"You and your friends will rue the day they ever interfered in my life. You all thought you were so high and mighty, oh and how we believed everything you said. Like the foolish children we were, we thought all of our problems were solved," His words became more spaced out, his breathe coming in pants as slowly made his way up the hill in front of him. Turning so he could walk backwards, he grabbed both of her hands and began to pull her upwards.

"Would you like to know how my friends died?" His voice became brittle as he remembered each painful moment. "Most died of raptor attacks, and others became captives of neighboring tribes. Tell me, do you know what it is like to live without hope? Knowing that soon you will be the next to die? Living your life knowing that the world had turned its back on you? How it makes you feel when you realize that you are forgotten by the very people who put you in that situation?"

He reached the top of the hill and grunted with satisfaction. The cave was just where he remembered. He bent down and began to roll her to the entrance. When he was content she was hidden well enough, he stood back to stare at her.

"Well, it doesn't matter if you know how it feels or not, because now you will. And just in case one of your comrades manages to find you, I want to make sure they will be too late. I don't want to leave too much to fate."

He removed the gun from his hand and shot the beauty directly in the chest. The force jolted her from her impressed slumber, her eyes flying open for the briefest of seconds before her body convulsed and her eyes closed once again. He bent down and tucked a blonde hair behind her ear, placing a rose in between her frozen hands.

"I told you I would bring you a flower."

"Does that look like blood to you?" Roxton asked the reporter beside him as he stared at the small puddle of blood on the treehouse floor.

Ned ran a hand across his face, attempting to hide the fear in his eyes. "Something is wrong, Roxton, I just know. I have a feeling."

"My god," Roxton said looking Ned squarely in the eyes. "Marguerite and Challenger. Do you think they are okay?"

"I don't know. I hope so. We have to find them." He raced towards his bag, threw it back over his shoulder, and grabbed his rifle off the shelf, and stormed towards the elevator, Roxton following suit.

"Ned! It looks as if something was dragged over there," Roxton said as they stepped off the elevator. He bent down and ran his hands over the tracks. "It looks new, only two maybe three hours."

Malone knelt down beside him and looked down in horror at the imprint in front of him. "Roxton what are we going to do? I swear to god, if he hurts one hair on her head I'll kill him."

"Now is not the time to lose your cool, Ned. Listen to me, everyone will be fine. Now get your wits together and let's go. These tracks seem to go towards the direction Marguerite and Challenger took. Maybe we will run into them along the way." Roxton knew his voice sounded cool and commanding, but inside he was shaking as much as Ned. If something happened to Marguerite he would never forgive himself.


	6. Chapter 6

With a branch in her hand Marguerite tried once again to shake the tree. For over an hour she grasped a branch with one hand and shook as hard as she could in an effort to dislodge the bag only a few feet above her.

"God, I don't know if you are listening to me. But if you can hear me, I'd appreciate a little help here. I mean, come to think of it, I think you do owe me a favor. This whole, lets bring Marguerite to a plateau infested with dinosaurs joke you played on me merits a reward of some sort. I'm not asking for anything major, just a breeze perhaps, something to bring the bag down. Maybe you could sneeze or something." Marguerite looked around her, her eyes circling the sky hoping to see some sign of divine guidance.

Minutes passed slowly and to Marguerite's disappointment nothing happened. She threw her head back and groaned, "That's the last time I ask you for -- ohh." Her verbal rampage was interrupted as Challenger's packed seemed to fall from the branch above her, the strap of the bag caught gracefully on her hand. She smiled as she looked up towards the heavens, "Thanks. I owe you one."

Using the bush as leverage managed to open the pouch single handedly. She bit the top of the bag with her teeth to free her hand which quickly reached inside. With a triumphant smile she pulled out one of the mirrors Challenger had packed. She removed the bag from her mouth and edged it between her body and the branches.

"Please, Roxton, please be paying attention to mirror signals. Please." She really didn't know how to use the mirrors, morse code being Ned and Roxton's skill, but she picked up a little to know how to signal for help.

Luck was clearly on Marguerite's side as hundreds of feet away Ned felt a light blind his eye. Shielding his eyes he looked up towards the sky. He was facing away from the sun, wasn't he?

"Roxton?" He asked. "Do you see that? What do you think it is?"

Squinting his eyes, the hunter looked towards Ned direction. "Mirror signals! I think…yes… I think Challenger and Marguerite must be signaling for help!"

"From their proximity, they must be close to us."

"We're coming!" Roxton screamed towards the direction of the signal, hoping they could be heard. "Hold on Marguerite! We're coming for you!" He raced towards the signals, Ned following suit.

"Roxton!" Marguerite screamed, hearing the distant voice of the hunter. "ROXTON! We're over here, Roxton!" With relief pouring through her veins she saw the familiar sight of Roxton's hat peak from the forest's trees.

Ned barely had time to register to recognize the type of tree that has snared Veronica just a year before, when he saw Challenger dangling above him. As Roxton worked on freeing Marguerite, Ned moved closer to the tree and searched for the rope suspending the scientist.

"Oh God, Roxton, I thought you were never going to find us," Marguerite said as Roxton cut threw the branches entrapping her arms and upper body.

"Of course I'd find you, I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to you." Deciding it would take too long to remove the rest of the branches, Roxton grabbed a hold of her arms and half pulled half dragged the beauty out of the tree. They stared in each others eyes for a long moment, each wanting to say more but finding no words to express their emotions. The moment was broken as a loud crash broke the silence.

"Challenger!" Marguerite exclaimed breaking free of Roxton's hold and running towards the scientist now lying on the ground. "His gun discharged, I think the bullet went through his thigh."

Blood was now pouring profusely from the wound, and Marguerite began ripping pieces of fabric from her skirt. She knew the damage done to her skirt was irreversible, but she assumed it was a small price to pay for Challenger's life.

Kneeling next to Marguerite, Roxton looked at Challenger's wound. "It's just a flesh wound, the bullet didn't go through, it just grazed the skin. Luckily the blood was rushing away from his thigh, and not towards it, otherwise he would have lost a lot of blood."

As the blood began to rush from Challenger's head, the scientist slowly opened his eyes. "Marguerite?" He murmured.

"I'm fine, George, I'm right here. We're all okay. Ned and Roxton found us."

Challenger shook his head slowly, "And Veronica?"

"She is missing," Ned broke in, outraged at the reunion in front of him. At least someone seemed to notice she was gone. "Does no one else care that she can be hurt right now? This isn't the time for talking, we need to do something. Now!"

Roxton helped Challenger up and spoke calmly at Ned, "I know what you are going through right now Ned, and that is because I am going through it also. I want to help Veronica also, you know that. But there is no point in going after her and leaving Challenger alone to die. We need to stabilize Challenger and then go and find her." He turned towards Marguerite.

"We've been following her trail, or at least what we think it is. If we are right, there is a set of footprints belonging to Rithos, and we can see he is dragging something behind him, presumably Veronica. We are getting closer; the markings seem almost brand new. If we walk faster we are bound to catch up with them."

"Challenger, do you think you will be able to walk? Or should you and I go back towards the treehouse?" Marguerite asked as the color began to come back to Challenger's face.

"No, I'm fine. The throbbing has basically subsided. I want to help find Veronica and see Rithos face to face. I want to know why he did this. Why on earth he made this happen."

"He's not really Rithos," Marguerite announced. "Do you remember that village we went to with that cannibal flower? Pakim's village? Well, if I'm right, Rithos is really Tomu, a survivor from that village. Do you remember that game he taught us? I knew it looked familiar, and now I realize that the guards must have been playing it when we were captured." Pausing slightly she continued, "And I think everyone else died, and he blames us for it. He thinks that we didn't protect them from the outside world like we promised to do. That we killed the flower, and in essence killed everyone else. I can't help but think that he may be right."

"We did as best as we could Marguerite, we can't be responsible for all of the horrors of this plateau." Roxton said, standing up, looking Marguerite squarely in the eyes.

"Well either way we should get a move on and find Veronica," Challenger said securing his hat on his head. Although his leg did hurt, he refused to think about it now. He knew they had to get to Veronica before it was too late.


	7. Chapter 7

They followed the trail together, silently, no one wanting to say what they were truly feeling. To say what they were thinking out loud made it a reality and not simply a possibility.

As they reached the bottom of a hill, Ned looked up towards the top, shielding his eyes from the sun. "It looks like there is a cave on the top of this hill. She is in there! I know it!" Before anyone could respond a shot rang out, and birds squawked as they flew away. And then there was nothing but the dark sound of silence. "Veronica?" he whispered, then yelled it, "Veronica!" He began to run up the hill, but the sight of someone fleeing from the cave stopped him.

"It's Rithos," Roxton said raising his gun, attempting to follow the body with his eyes "he doesn't know we are here, maybe we can trap him."

"We need to get up there, Roxton! He shot Veronica!"

"Calm down, Ned, you don't know what happened," Marguerite said putting a calming hand on his shoulder. "If we trap him we can find out for sure what happened. Veronica is a smart girl; she wouldn't let anything happen to her. Don't worry."

"Ah, but you should worry," Rithos said appearing from the trees beside them. "But there is no point, she is already dead."

"You bastard!" Ned screamed as he threw himself at Rithos, punching him repeatedly in the face as Rithos collapsed on the ground.

"Easy now, Ned," Roxton said pulling him off the body. "He is saying that just to get a rise out of you."

"Oh no I'm not," Rithos laughed as he wiped blood off his mouth, "She's dead I can assure you of that." He shook his head as he looked from Marguerite to Challenger. "Pity that I didn't finish you off when I had the chance."

The restraint that Roxton showed Ned vanished, and he let go of the reporter to pounce on Rithos. Without the constraint, Ned ran up the hill. Adrenaline gave him the strength of a thousand men as he raced up the hill, barely feeling the need to breathe. He stopped in front of the cave, and felt his heart stop beating as he saw Veronica's body in front of him.

"Oh God," he whispered his hand covering his mouth, "Veronica, no, oh my God." He knelt towards her, and felt frantically for a pulse, her blood beginning to cover his hands. When he found none, he collapsed on the ground on front of him. He vaguely heard a gunshot as he took Veronica's hands in his. He brought them to his lips, and kissed each fingertip.

"My Veronica. My beautiful Veronica." He leaned forward, his head lying on her chest, as his shoulders began to shake violently.

"Ned? Is Veron.." Roxton started to ask walking into the cave. He put the gun back into its holster, and began to walk closer to Veronica but stopped as Marguerite and Challenger rushed into the cave beside him.

Neither said anything as they stared at the lifeless body of the jungle beauty they had grown to love over the years. Words seemed pointless as there was nothing that could be said to ease the pain blooming in their hearts. Raising her hand to her mouth, Marguerite turned into Roxton's arms, and allowed the tears to flow freely from her eyes.

Challenger walked over to the reporter in front of him. "Ned," he began. He knelt next to him and reached over in a vain attempt to see if there was anything he could do to revive Veronica.

"Don't touch her," Ned said angrily, looking up forcefully at Challenger. "I don't want anyone touching her but me. I'll take care of her."

Challenger slowly retracted his arm and stood up slowly. "Yes Ned," he said placing a hand on the reporter's shoulder, "you'll take care of her."

_I keep hearing Summerlee call my name. It's almost like he is laughing; I don't think I can remember ever hearing him so happy. I keep telling him I'll be there soon, but he remains rather insistent. I just look at him and smile. _

"_Don't you realize I am busy?" I tell him. "I just want to watch them for a little bit longer." _

_I look down at my friends, all of them so brave, going on with their life as usual, but still I can feel the pain in their hearts. I wish I could tell them that I am okay. I just want to yell down from the heavens and tell them that I am fine, that I am happy. But, until I figure out a way to do that I will be content to just sit here, watch them, and help them along. _

_Rithos said a lot of things to me when he brought me to the cave, he was right about some things and horribly wrong about others. There is a special bond between all of us, something not even he could break. None of us are going to be forgotten, it's just something that couldn't possibly happen. I can't explain why that is so, but I know it's true, I can feel it. Those people, currently laughing over some joke Roxton just told, will never be forgotten, at least not by me._


	8. Chapter 8

Epilogue

It was quiet in the treehouse as everyone slept soundly in their beds. Winter had arrived on the plateau, bringing with it a chill in the air. She smiled as she watched them turn slightly in their beds oblivious to their surroundings. She shook her head as she looked at the disorder of the treehouse.

None of them seemed particularly inclined for organizing anything, as that was always her main forte. She glided effortlessly from room to room, spending a moment alone with each person before arriving at her final destination.

Sitting weightlessly on his bed, she raised the covers around the reporter until she was content he was warm enough. Running a hand through his hair, she placed a kiss on his forehead. Her lips trailed down his temple to rest beside his ear.

"Tell kind stories about me in your journal. Remember me," she whispered. With one last look at the tree house she closed her eyes and disappeared into the cool night air.


End file.
